“What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour” (Psalms 8:4, 5). Imagine! We are a “little lower than the angels,” or, as Dummelow’s Bible Commentary states: “Man, the only creature made in God’s image, stands nearest to Him in the ranks of the universe” (p. 332). Standing nearest to Him, expressing Him, His glory! That is the fact of our being. But what do we do with the picture of man we often see and experience? What do we do when confronted with the frailty of mortal man?
The prophet Jeremiah was very forthright in his acknowledgment of this frailty. “We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee” (Jeremiah 14:20), and the Psalmist states, “Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am” (Psalms 39:4). Often our public figures, our friends, even our family members, remind us of mortal man’s frailty on the human scene. Criticism, disappointment, and anger often sweep into our thoughts.
How do we deal with these emotions? What is the healing message that can actually do some good to lift the burden of frailty from mankind? The book of First Peter in the Bible and David in his famous psalm of repentance turn us toward humility. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” and “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (I Peter 5:6 and Psalms 51:10).
